Archive for December, 2013

Time to start spreading the word that the ARRL January VHF Contest is less than a month away.
Here’s the direct link to the ARRL info: http://www.arrl.org/january-vhf

I have been advocating for more V/UHF contesting via email since 2007 and this blog since 2009. To me, a contest is the single most exciting time to be on the bands. You will hear more workable stations during a contest than at any other time. You may hear grids that are not usually active. You can track and support rovers who take their radio show on the road, handing out contacts from multiple grids. Since the V/U bands are usually too quiet, you want to be around the rigs when the activity is there.

Start making plans now to be available during the weekend of Jan 18-19. Even if you only have one or two VHF bands, that’s just fine. The vast majority of V/U contesting takes place on the bread-and-butter bands of 50 and 144 MHz. Tell your ham friends about this opportunity. This is the only wintertime V/U contest; the next one isn’t until early June.

If you want to know more about VHF/UHF Contesting, I have a multi-part series of articles I wrote a few years back. I call these articles VHF Contesting School and links to every article are here: http://kc9bqa.com/?p=5931 . Save that link in case you need to refer back to it. PLUS, get this info to hams everywhere. You are free to rebroadcast it far and wide. The whole reason I do this blog is to increase activity on the SSB/CW portions of ham bands like 50, 144, 222 and 432 MHz. The more hams who help spread the word, the more we all benefit.

Posted in Blog Post | Comments Off on ARRL January VHF Contest is Jan 18-19, 2014. Links to my VHF Contesting School Articles at the Bottom.

Having a nice snowfall here. Working on about 2″ since 1-2am, and the forecast is for 7-8″ by mid-afternoon.

This week’s net reports are full of check-ins and activity.

*PLEASE REMEMBER WB9LYH WILL NOT CALL THE 144.240 Wed. net on Dec. 25 and Jan 1st. *
Look for WB9LYH again on Wed., Jan. 8th, start time of 7pm central and the antenna pattern from EN54cl (Central WI) is first NE, then E, SE, S, SW, W, NW and N over the next hour or so. All licensed amateurs are welcome. The net is informal and the purpose is to increase overall activity on 2m SSB. We appreciate you helping to spread the word.

Last Monday night, K8TQK had 28 check-ins to his 144.252 net. This net is called every Mon. from EM89je, south-central OH, at 8:30pm eastern. Bob’s antenna pattern is also north to start, then NE, E, SE, S, SW, W, and NW over the next 45-60 minutes. Not sure of K8TQK’s holiday plans, but I’d imagine he’ll be on Dec. 23rd and Dec. 30th.

If you want listings of nets and activity periods on bands like 144, 50, 222 and 432 MHz, for all 7 nights of the week, they are listed at posts dated Oct. 13th, 15th and 17th, at kc9bqa.com. Get this info to hams everywhere, so they will know where and when the activity is.

Speaking of more activity on the “weak-signal” VHF/UHF bands, we do have the first contest of the year coming up on the weekend of Jan 18-19th. I’ll make a separate post about the ARRL January VHF Contest shortly.

A few announcements first:
WB9LYH will be *ON* with the 144.240 net this Wed., Dec. 18th, at the usual start time of 8pm central/9pm eastern.
Look toward EN54cl, Central WI, near Wisconsin Rapids. All licensed amateurs are welcome. The net is informal, and the purpose is to stir up more activity on 2m SSB. Another goal is to push the propagation limits. WB9LYH loves DX check-ins, so spread the word in a multi-state area. Antenna pattern is always first NE, then E, SE, S, SW, W, NW and N.

The 144.240 Wed. net will be *OFF* on Dec. 25th and Jan 1st. Merry Christmas, Season’s Greetings and Happy New Year to everyone.

If you want listings of nets and activity periods on bands like 144, 50, 222 and 432 MHz, for all 7 nights of the week, they’re all listed at posts dated Oct. 13th, 15th and 17th, at kc9bqa.com. Get this info to hams everywhere, so they will know where and when the activity is.

I have WB9LYH’s 144.240 and K8TQK’s 144.252 net reports from this week.

Remember that there are many nets and organized activity on bands like 50, 144, 222 and 432 MHz every week. The trick is knowing where/when to find them. Please refer to posts here at kc9bqa.com dated Oct 13, 15 and 17, 2013. Those posts have info for all 7 nights of the week, in a wide area surrounding the Midwest and Great Lakes. Feel free to pass this info along to hams everywhere.

On Wed. nights, WB9LYH calls the 144.240 net from EN54cl, Central WI. 8pm central/9pm eastern start time and the antenna pattern is first NE, then E, SE, S, SW, W, NW and N over the next hour or so.
WB9LYH reported the propagation was decent, but not many guys were on. Mark’s 12 check-ins were: K8RS EN72; WB0DGF EN63; AB9QH EN62; K9CCL EN61; KA9DVX EN51; W1JWS EN50; WA9BNZ EN40; WB0YWW EN22; KB9LUK EN34; K0SIX EN35; W9EWZ EN52 and W0ANH EN47. Mark also reported that he was being heard in EM89 by W8PU and KB8GUE but he could not hear them.

On Monday nights, K8TQK calls the 144.252 net from EM89je, south-central OH. 8:30pm eastern start time and the antenna pattern is first N, then NE, E, SE, S, SW, W and N over the next hour or so. I still list K8TQK’s check-ins because for several years, Bob was affiliated with us on Wed. nights. (If you like knowing how things have evolved over time, our Wed. night net story is here: http://kc9bqa.com/?p=5363)

Both WB9LYH and K8TQK have great stations that can get out 300-400+ miles under flat conditions. They both enjoy pushing the propagation limits so spread the word so that DX will give a listen.
I wonder how many Joe Q. Hams know that you can work hundreds of miles on 2m SSB, any old time, using nothing more special than a horizontal yagi, (or horizontal loops that are omni, but have less gain), good coax and at least 25-100w output power. My guess is less than 10%. I’ve been trying to spread this story since 2007-08. I thank each of you that have also helped spread the news.

Look for WB9LYH and K8TQK next week.
K8TQK is on 144.252 @8:30pm eastern every Mon. from EM89je, south-central OH.
WB9LYH is on 144.240 @8pm central every Wed. from EN54cl, Central WI.

Remember that other VHF/UHF nets and activity nights in a wide area surrounding the Midwest and Great Lakes are listed at posts dated Oct 13, 15 and 17th, 2013 at KC9BQA.com.